Marion Tallgrass Trail

05/30/2026

Check out the new book that the Marion Public Library installed at the Marion Tallgrass Trail! If your kids love dinosaurs then you need to check it out!

Need to get some energy out? Take a walk on the Tallgrass Trail and enjoy Jane Yolen’s How do Dinosaurs Choose Their Pets?

05/30/2026

🌙🦉 What an incredible night!

Last night’s Nighttime Nature Detectives program was absolutely phenomenal! We were thrilled to welcome 13 nature enthusiasts who joined us for an evening of exploration after dark.

Together, we listened to the chorus of several different frog species, encountered two snakes, and experienced the highlight of the night, we successfully called in a screech owl! Hearing and seeing this fascinating nocturnal predator was a memorable moment for everyone in attendance.

A special thank you to Dan Hudnell for capturing photos during the program and helping document the evening’s adventures. We’d also like to thank Naturalist James Anderson for the stunning sunset photo taken at the Marion Community Foundation Lake, which provided the perfect backdrop to an unforgettable night in nature.

Thank you to everyone who joined us! The natural world comes alive after dark, and we can’t wait to see you at our next adventure. 🌅🐸🐍🦉

05/29/2026

🌿☀️ Get Ready for an AMAZING June with the Marion County Park District! ☀️🌿

Summer adventure season is officially here, and we’ve packed June full of exciting programs, community events, wildlife discoveries, and outdoor fun for all ages!

🐛🌱 Kiddos At The Park Outdoor Preschool is BACK! 🌱🐛
Calling all little explorers ages 3–6! Join us for hands-on outdoor adventures, nature crafts, stories, discovery hikes, and more at the Marion Tallgrass Trail!

📅 June sessions:
• June 12
• June 19
• June 26

🕙 Programs begin at 10 AM

🔹 Registration opens at 1 PM on the Sunday before each session right here on our page.
🔹 Space is limited to just 15 kiddos per week, so registration fills quickly!
🔹 You’ll receive a confirmation message once your child is officially registered.
🔹 A parent or guardian must stay during the program.

🧺 Why keep the class size small?
These programs take a lot of preparation, materials, and hands-on interaction each week. Keeping the groups smaller helps ensure every child gets a high-quality experience filled with exploration, learning, and FUN!

🦋✨ Marion’s MOTHAPALOOZA ✨🦋
📅 June 26 | 🕘 9 PM–Midnight
📍 SPEEC Building at Elgin School (behind the football stadium)

This year we’re doing something NEW! We are hosting this program at Elgin! Join moth enthusiast, Bill Bender and Naturalist James Anderson for a glowing night of moth baiting, blacklights, and incredible nighttime discoveries. It’s a magical night for nature lovers of all ages!

🎣🐟 Learn to Fish Program 🐟🎣
📅 June 25 | 🕔 5–6:30 PM
📍 Marion Community Foundation Lake at the Marion Tallgrass Trail

Join the Ohio Division of Wildlife and the Marion County Park District for a FREE hands-on fishing course! Participants will learn:
🎣 Casting basics
🪢 Knot tying
🎒 Fishing gear essentials
🐠 Tips for catching bluegill

All equipment is provided, but feel free to bring your own. Anyone age 16 or older who plans to actively fish must have a valid fishing license.

Questions? Contact Riley Yunker at [email protected] or 614-453-6271.

🌾🇺🇸 Prairie Plant Tour — America 250 Celebration 🇺🇸🌾
📅 June 27 | 🕡 6:30 PM
📍 Yoder Prairie at Marion OSU

We’re partnering with the Marion Area Convention & Visitors Bureau as part of the America 250 Celebration! Come explore one of Marion County’s beautiful prairie remnants while learning about native prairie plants, pollinators, and the wildlife that call these habitats home.

🎉 Catch Us Around the Community! 🎉
Be sure to stop by and say hello at:
📍 Orang Bang in LaRue
📍 The Latino Health Fair
📍 Downtown Marion’s Third Thursday

📆 Don’t forget to check out our June calendar flyer for even more exciting programs and events throughout the month! Also be sure to follow our page for weather updates and exciting programs led by Abby and our park staff.

🌳✨ Let’s make this summer unforgettable — get outside and explore your Marion County Parks!

05/29/2026

Hey everyone, we have some exciting news! Meet our 2026 intern, Abbey Knight. Abbey graduated from Harding High School in 2024 and is entering her junior year at The Ohio State University, where she is studying Natural Resource Management.

Abbey is passionate about conservation and hopes to pursue a career in ecosystem restoration and wildlife rehabilitation in the future. We’re excited to have her join us this summer and help with our programming. Please join us in giving Abbey a warm welcome!

05/29/2026

Please join us in a sincere "thank you" to our friends at the village of LaRue. They volunteered their street sweeper to make a couple of passes through the dried mud between SR 37 and Riley Rd. It really helped!

05/28/2026

Tomorrow, May 29 at 8:30 PM, we’ll be hosting our Night Time Nature Detectives program at the Marion Tallgrass Trail. Many of you may have attended our “Night Hikes at the Park” programs in the past, which focused on science-in-the-dark experiments. This program will be a little different as we explore and investigate some of the fascinating nocturnal creatures that call our area home.

Feel free to bring either a white or red flashlight — both will work perfectly for the program!

We hope to see you there for an evening of nighttime nature exploration!

05/27/2026

As Kevin Kennedy was exploring the Marion Tallgrass Trail, he encountered an incredible sight a female snapping turtle laying her eggs along the trail! 🐢🥚

Unfortunately, many snapping turtle nests in areas like the old railroad ballast face difficult odds. The rocky ballast often prevents females from digging deep enough nests to properly insulate the eggs. If nests are too shallow, the eggs may not stay warm enough for successful development. On top of that, predators such as raccoons, mink, opossums, and skunks frequently locate and dig up turtle nests in search of an easy meal.

Snapping turtles usually lay between 20–40 eggs during late spring and early summer. Female snapping turtles often travel surprisingly long distances from water to find what they hope is the perfect nesting location. After laying their eggs, the mother covers the nest and leaves the hatchlings are completely on their own from the moment they emerge.

These ancient reptiles play an important ecological role in wetland ecosystems. Snapping turtles help keep waterways clean by scavenging dead animals, while also helping balance populations of fish, insects, and aquatic organisms. Despite their tough appearance, snapping turtles face many challenges including habitat loss, road crossings, nest predation, and human disturbance.

If you encounter a snapping turtle laying eggs or crossing a trail or roadway, remember to give her plenty of space and admire from a distance. Every successful nest helps support the future of these fascinating Ohio reptiles.

Thank you to Kevin Kennedy for capturing this amazing wildlife moment at the Marion Tallgrass Trail! 📸

05/27/2026

Did you know that you can support the Tallgrass Trail at no extra cost to you when you shop at Kroger? Here's how:

1) Sign in: Go to the Kroger website or open the Kroger app.
2) Access Account: Click on the profile icon or the main menu and select My Account.
3) Find Rewards: Select Community Rewards from the account menu.
4) Search for Prairie Parks Foundation, Inc (organization number AV224)
5) Enroll: Select this organization from the list and click Enroll or Save

Edit with thanks to Tyler James Emrick: In the app, if you search "Community Rewards", it will open a new window and you can add it that way.

05/27/2026

Update on the mud that covered the Tallgrass Trail between SR 37 and Riley Rd: A volunteer (Dan) power-washed the northern edge of the trail, shoveled off as much mud as possible, brushed the trail with a thick push broom, and then used a blower. A thin layer of dirt remains, and may still be slippery when wet. Keep your fingers crossed that rain will wash the dirt off the trail, without bringing more mud down from the farm fields!

05/26/2026

Snowing in May at the Marion Tallgrass Trail? ❄️🌳
Well… not exactly! What you’re seeing floating through the air are cottonwood seeds!

Eastern Cottonwood trees produce thousands of tiny seeds attached to fluffy white fibers that act like little parachutes. This helps the seeds travel long distances on the wind in search of moist soil where they can sprout and grow. Cottonwoods are fast-growing trees commonly found near rivers, floodplains, wetlands, and streams because their seeds need plenty of moisture to successfully germinate.

While many people see the fluffy “snow” as a nuisance, it actually plays an important ecological role. Cottonwood trees provide valuable habitat for wildlife. Birds such as goldfinches and other small songbirds may feed on the seeds, while deer, rabbits, and beavers browse the twigs and bark. Mature cottonwoods also offer nesting cavities for owls, wood ducks, and other wildlife species.

Cottonwoods are considered a pioneer species, meaning they are often among the first trees to colonize disturbed areas, helping stabilize soil and create habitat for future forest growth.

A special thank you to Naturalist James for capturing this amazing seasonal moment at the Marion Tallgrass Trail! 📸🌿